Patch Candidate Profile: Shane Pendley, RTM District 8

FAIRFIELD, CT — Election Day is approaching fast, and a number of key positions in Fairfield will be on the ballot, including Board of Selectman, Board of Education, Board of Finance, RTM and others.

To help readers make an informed decision on Nov. 7, Fairfield Patch has reached out to local candidates to share their views on various topics of importance in town.

Patch will post these candidate profiles over the next few weeks, so check back often to see the latest.

Name

Shane Pendley

How old will you be as of Election Day?

42

Does your campaign have a website? If so, include the URL here.

https://www.fairfielddemocrats.com/

What city or town do you live in?

Fairfield

What office are you seeking?

Representative Town Meeting (RTM)

If you are running in a district, you can specify the district here.

District 8

Please give us your party affiliation.

Democrat

Education.

University of Colorado, B.A., English; Tulane University Law School, J.D.

What is your occupation?

Financial Advisor

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

My wife, Sofia, is a public health professor at Mt. Sinai’s medical school. Our daughter, Luisa, is 8 and at Riverfield, and our son, Oscar, is 4 and at Bright Horizons at Fairfield. We also have a hound-mix named Goldie.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

No

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for running and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

I’m a believer in the importance of civic engagement to maintain a healthy democracy. I’m running because I value the commitment others have made to Fairfield and I would like to help my community anyway that I can.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is \_\_\_, and this is what I intend to do about it.

If we are choosing a single issue, then I would emphasize effectively funding our public schools. However, the overarching issue is how to prudently spend our tax dollars and thoughtfully plan for capital expenditures.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I think everyone running brings something different and valuable to the table. In my case, I have worked in both law and finance, and so bring with me relevant skills and experience. More than that, I am running with an openness to other people’s ideas, and a will to work collaboratively.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

N/A

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

I am a strong supporter of Bill Gerber’s Complete Streets ordinance. Ensuring that we can all walk and ride safely on our streets should be a bipartisan issue, particularly as the population and traffic increase across town. Among other things, the ordinance means that the town will incorporate more thoughtful planning into public works projects, and enacting it will also make Fairfield eligible to access a large pool of federal grant money available to make the streets safer for all of us.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have worked as a teacher, a lawyer, and now as a partner in an investment advisory firm. At minimum that’s evidence that I am adaptable! Beyond that, much of what my professional work requires is to marshal a lot of information and facts surrounding an issue and synthesize them to come up with an actionable plan.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Sleep on it.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I work hard at whatever I do. If I am elected to the RTM, I will be committed to listening to all constituents in District 8 and working hard for them.